Protestant Community: "72nd Anniversary of the Korean War... We Must Find the Path to Peace"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] On the 72nd anniversary of the Korean War, the Korea Christian Federation (HanGyoChong), an alliance of Protestant organizations, issued a statement calling for peace.

In a statement signed by Chairman Ryu Young-mo, HanGyoChong said, "As we mark the 72nd anniversary of the Korean War, the Korean Peninsula has failed to find a path to peace through dialogue, and the deepening distrust caused by competitive arms expansion continues," adding, "The Korea Christian Federation opposes any form of war and urges all parties to seek the path of peace."

It continued, "We hope our government will promptly establish peaceful cooperation measures between the South and the North based on security capabilities that can protect the safety and lives of the people," and "We urge the North Korean government to engage in dialogue to resolve issues, as military buildup without dialogue, such as ICBMs and nuclear tests, does not help the survival and peace of the nation."

Furthermore, it emphasized, "The Korean church will pray for the peaceful gospel unification of the Korean Peninsula and strive for the free and peaceful coexistence of Northeast Asia and the world."

The recent situation in Ukraine was also mentioned. HanGyoChong stated, "The war in Ukraine reveals its horrific reality, taking innocent people's lives and property," and "We hope the war in Ukraine ends soon and oppose any acts of war involving armed attacks."

Another alliance organization, the Korea Christian Council (HanGiChong), also issued a statement urging, "North Korea should not try to overcome difficulties by force but come to the dialogue table," pointing out, "Nuclear weapons or missiles only increase mutual tensions and create a confrontation of strength against strength, and nothing can be gained from this."

It added, "On the 72nd anniversary of the June 25th War, we must remember that the background for us to enjoy freedom, peace, and prosperity is the sacrifice of those who shed blood for the Republic of Korea, and this should be an opportunity to never forget the pain and suffering of war and to engrave the preciousness of freedom and peace in our hearts."